Rustic Ceramic Hen Jar Crafted in Mexico, "Colorful Hen"

"Hi, my name is Georgina Aida Cabrera Tagle, and I'm from Otumba, in the State of Mexico. I grew up in a close family where my parents and relatives have been dedicated to the crafting of ceramic pieces for many generations. Even as a child I always found the elaboration of ceramic products to be fascinating, because you can transform simple earth and water into a decorative piece. I love to transmit my ideas in the pieces I create.

"My biggest challenge has been to move ahead in my preparation - as a mother, as a professional, and to be independent - as well as my daughter's preparation, in her studies for a professional career. My daughter now knows this trade, which I learned from my parents and they learned from my grandparents; she helps me when she has time. So she begins to love what we have been doing for so many years.

"When I make my products I use clay, acrylics, and plumilla (the flower from reeds along the local riverbanks). Three types of clay are mixed together in a big tub, adding water until the clay takes what it needs - this takes up to five days. Plumilla is added so the clay acquires more consistency and, once kneaded, it is placed in molds for about fifteen to thirty minutes, depending on the figure. When we take them out of the mold we smoothed them out with a sponge - we call this process 'cleaning,' and that same day we polish them with a steel file to clear out any imperfection. We then leave them out to dry for about three days. Each piece is then baked for about three hours at 450° C and allowed to cool down. Finally, the clay piece is painted with acrylics according to the desired motifs.

"My work is 100% handcrafted and for this reason no two pieces can ever be identical, even when I have made many of these pieces."